Community rallying around injured football player

He was badly injured in a crash just days before the start of the football season.

However, a high school football player's classmates, and the community, are still making sure he's part of the game.

Mykal Barnes was injured last weekend in Clark County. He played football at George Rogers Clark High School in Winchester.

His friends were at the school's first game of the season Friday night, selling t-shirts with his jersey number on them.

Barnes, a senior at George Rogers Clark, is in serious condition at UK Hospital.

Police say his car crashed into a rock wall last weekend on Mount Sterling Road in Clark County.

"Mykal's real important to the school and the football team," George Rogers Clark senior Alicia Montgomery said. "He's probably the best on the team. Everybody cares about him."

"He's a young man with very little fat and good physical shape so that's going to help him survive," George Rogers Clark Football Coach Paul Columbia said.

The last time Columbia checked on Barnes, he had some muscle movements and brain activity. Those signs alone give the coach and his players hope.

"Mykal would want the players to get back, focus on the ball game, get into the routine, get their sleep, make sure they keep their grades up, and I think that helped them get into practice," Columbia said.

"Everybody's there for him, and everybody's praying. Everybody has faith in him and knows he will pull through," Montgomery said.

The game at George Rogers Clark begins at 7:30 Friday night. The t-shirts honoring Barnes will be sold during the game.

The money made from the t-shirts will go to Barnes' family to help pay his medical expenses.

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